


The Price of Crystal Life

by vagrantBreath



Category: Rockman X | Mega Man X, Rockman Zero | Mega Man Zero
Genre: Child Death, What if - Iris in MMZ, implied major character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-01
Updated: 2019-02-01
Packaged: 2019-10-20 06:47:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17617517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vagrantBreath/pseuds/vagrantBreath
Summary: Iris wakes up.Even though she shouldn't.





	The Price of Crystal Life

"Hello. Everything is fine. You were just reactivated."

Why is she alive?

"I'm going to run a few tests. Please don't be alarmed."

Her voice box isn't working. No, why-

"Please calm down or I must put you into sleep mode."

She can't move.

"Your systems are being overtaxed. I must put you in sleep mode now."

No! Don't!

  


* * *

  


"How are you today?"

She still can't move.

"I'm going to test your optics today. Please don't be alarmed."

She wants to move. She wants to _talk_. She wants to ask-

No. She knows that answer.

"Thank you. Now, blink, please."

She blinks.

  


* * *

  


"This Reploid is more useful than you think! Please, I just need a little more time-"

What's going on?

"Sir, if you just let me-"

Why is there yelling? She didn't like that. Is she the cause?

"Listen to me. I'm going to reactivate all your systems. And when I do, _run._ They can't retire you if you're gone."

What?

"Please, Iris."

She-

" _Run._ "

  


* * *

  


So much…

So much death…

Crying. She hears crying. She follows the sound to find a small human child.

"Hello."

The child looks too small.

Maybe the child needs refuelling? What did human children need for sustenance? There has to be something nearby, even… even among all this death.

"I want my Mommy."

The child's mother was probably dead, her systems reasons.

The child would be too young to live alone.

If all humans died, all that would be left would be Reploids.

But this is a child. Children deserve to live.

"Let me help you."

  


* * *

  


Some of the children don't make it.

At first, she buries each one, feeling heavy with each one.

Then, as she runs more and more, taking more and more children to safety, she stops burying them.

She still cries after each one.

  


* * *

  


"Mommy Iris, I heard they're hunting Reploids now. Are you going to be okay?"

She nods. "I'll always be okay. I'll be here for you."

The child smiles brightly.

  


* * *

  


If only her dream of a world only with Reploids came true.

Humans are… terrible.

She thinks this as she holds tiny bones, looking at the sea of dead children in what used to be their home. 

  


* * *

  


She isn't going to make it. Her joints are giving out. Her fuel is too low.

She isn't-

She smiles as the world starts to go dark, a concerned face appearing over her.

At least she can see Zero one last time.

  


* * *

  


_Let's live together in a world where only Reploids exist…_

**Author's Note:**

> I don't even know anymore.


End file.
